Morris County Freeholders Unanimously Pass Resolution Opposing a Proposed State Gasoline Tax Increase

The Morris County Board of Freeholders has unanimously passed a resolution opposing legislation that would increase the state’s motor fuel or gas tax, and have asked freeholder boards across the state to follow suit.

  At the Morris County governing board’s Oct. 14 meeting, the freeholders voted 7-0 to “strongly oppose’’ legislation pending in the state Senate and Assembly, which would raise the gas tax in a state with the second highest tax burden in the nation to fund state transportation infrastructure improvements.  

 

"We already have the highest taxes, so turning to another tax increase is insanity,’’ said Freeholder John Krickus. “As I meet with residents across Morris County, they overwhelmingly want government to cut costs, as discussed in this resolution, and not turn once again to tax increases."

• The Freeholders strongly oppose the proposed bills and any effort to subsidize the Transportation Trust fund through an increase in motor fuels tax.

• The Freeholders strongly urge the state to scrutinize the operation of its road maintenance and improvement system to increase efficiency and reduce costs to the taxpayer.

• The Freeholders strongly supports legislation to reduce state and local government spending, thereby providing funds for state and local government infrastructure and other pressing needs, such as tax relief and investment in vocational skills and higher education.

 

 Senate Bills S1865 and S2051, sponsored by Sens. Raymond Lesniak and Ronald Rice, and Assembly Bill A3886, sponsored by Assemblyman John Wisniewski, would cost overburdened taxpayers of New Jersey an average of $300 annually, the freeholder said.

“Any increase in motor fuels taxes in the current weak economy would present an already undue hardship on taxpayers and drive up the cost of delivery of various commodities, as well as the already high cost of doing business in the State of New Jersey,’’ stated the resolution.

“The State of New Jersey has a long history of raiding dedicated trust funds for other purposes, and there is no assurance that such revenues collected to support the transportation infrastructure would be secure from future raiding of this nature.’’

Instead of raising the motor fuel tax, “the legislature should reduce expenses by:acting on nearly 80 bills that have been introduced to reduce expenses and lighten the tax burden, including bills establishing a new formula for state aid to public schools based on enrollment (A-565), a bill to eliminate bonuses for unused sick pay for public employees (A-158), a bill to allow opt-out of civil service by local governments (A-159), a bill to direct non-dedicated portion of state realty transfer fee collections to municipal property tax relief (A-2333),’’ stated the resolution.

 

The Morris County resolution was sent to key state legislators, Gov. Christie, and all freeholder boards.

 

To view the proposed legislation, visit: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/